Public meeting in Crewe and protest march in Sandbach over education cuts

Protesters gathered in Nantwich town square last month to object to proposed education cuts

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A public meeting is taking place in Crewe tonight (Friday) and a protest march will be held in Sandbach tomorrow over Government proposals to cut funding to Cheshire East schools.

Schools in Crewe, Nantwich, Sandbach, Middlewich, Holmes Chapel and Alsager will see more than a total £2m slashed from their budgets if the Government presses ahead with its new ‘fairer’ funding formula, which is out for consultation until March 22.

Headteachers across the borough have already condemned the new proposal, with many warning teaching jobs will have to go, class sizes will be bigger, there will be fewer curriculum choices and the cuts in funding could even lead to a possible four-day week.

One of the biggest losers in Crewe will be Underwood West Primary which will see £63,000 a year sliced off its budget, Monks Coppenhall stands to lose £49,000.

Tonight’s public meeting has been organised by Unison, which says many front line administration and teaching assistant jobs have been lost already and further cuts will have a dramatic operational impact on schools, especially in Cheshire East which has the lowest allocation of finance under the new national funding formula.

A Unison spokesman said: “Schools in Cheshire East stand to lose millions under the Government’s new national funding formula.

“This meeting is a chance for parents, residents and staff to hear from politicians about the proposed cuts and to have their say. All our welcome.”

Local MPs have been invited and Shadow Education Secretary Angela Rayner will be speaking.

And tomorrow parents, councillors and teachers will be taking to the streets of Sandbach to protest against the cuts.

Sandbach School is set to lose £142,000 a year under the new proposal while Sandbach High School will see its funding cut by £138,000.

Tomorrow’s protest in Sandbach follows on from a protest in Nantwich last month when parents, headteachers and politicians voiced their concerns.

Tonight’s meeting (Friday March 17) organised by Unison takes place at Crewe Alexandra Football Club in the Alexandra Suite, Gresty Road at 7.30pm.

Tomorrow’s protest march starts at 11am at Sandbach School (Boys School) on Crewe Road.

Everyone is welcome at both.

To take part in the Government consultation about the proposals click here .